


You and Me Against Jon Arbuckle

by garfieldfan420



Category: Garfield - All Media Types
Genre: Classism, Edgy, Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, Jon Sucks and You Cannot Fight Me on This, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23997007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/garfieldfan420/pseuds/garfieldfan420
Summary: Garfield is on a journey, not only of the body but of the heart. He was hopelessly in love with a scrappy street cat named Harry, and even better Harry loved him back. Jon is a homophobic mess and banishes Harry from the property... permanently. Nermal and his friend Arlene come cheer up Garfield and an unexpected love affair commences.
Relationships: Garfield/Harry, Garfield/Nermal
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. ...and so it begins

Garfield opened his eyes. Fuck. It was Monday. He stretched out his front legs and put all his weight on his back feet, he arched his back. He hated Mondays, that was something everyone knew about him. It was the aspect of his personality they always brought up along with how fat he was. God people loved to talk about how much he ate and what he ate. He just wanted to shut them all up, everyone was in his space constantly. It was true that Garfield hated Mondays... at least they were right about that. Odie looked up at Garfield from his spot on the floor with his big dumb eyes, his tongue refusing to be held by his slobbering, disgusting lips. Garfield snarled at him and Odie wagged his tail so it beat against the ground rhythmically. Garfield looked down at big stupid Odie and he felt a certain tenderness towards the mutt. A drop of drool hit the tile floor and Garfield cringed, any love in his heart sucked out. Garfield rolled onto his back and placed his paw on his stomach. He decided he would not move today, it simply wasn’t worth his energy. 

Garfield was shocked awake by Odie yipping at Jon’s feet. Jon put his work bag down on the floor by the front door and bent down to pet Odie. “Did you boys have a good day while I was at work?” Odie barked a response and flopped onto the ground to reveal his belly. Garfield shook his head at the simple pup’s response to Jon. Jon looked up to Garfield, now standing on the counter with his arms crossed across his chest, he smiled at the orange cat with a certain level of forced niceness. Garfield hopped off the counter and walked to the living room to sit in Jon’s comfiest chair before Jon could. Garfield heard Jon sigh from the kitchen. “Are you still mad at me bud? I said I was sorry.” Garfield wasn’t mad before but he was now.  
“You kicked him to the curb like he was trash.” Garfield said to himself, knowing Jon couldn’t even begin to understand. He had tried not to think about Harry since the incident but he couldn’t help it, Harry lived in his mind. Garfield felt a chill and he glared up at the fan. “If Harry was here he’d make fun of me for being a spoiled house cat. He still wouldn’t let me be cold. He’d lay on me and tell me I needed to toughen up.” Garfield felt the anger in him sink into the painful sting of loss. He could almost cry. Almost. He was tougher than that. Harry made sure of it.  
Garfield snuck out to the backyard as soon as he heard Odie and Jon sit down to dinner. He climbed up into the big oak tree and rested on a branch. He stared longingly at the bright purple fence Jon had put up last week. “What a cheery color for such a sad symbol.” Garfield mused as he leaned forward to better see over the fence. He scanned the streets for the sly movement of a black cat. He hoped that black figure would look up at him with his mismatched glowing eyes and wink. Maybe flash a surprisingly shiny smile. Garfield squeezed his eyes shut and willed himself to go to sleep. 

Jon searched the whole house for his cat before going outside. Garfield snored soundly in the tree, dreaming. Odie craned his head back to look up at Garfield sympathetically. He yipped loudly to wake up Garfield, knowing that whatever Jon had planned would be harsher. Garfield peered down at Jon knowing he had something planned.  
“I know you’ve been upset lately so I asked grandma if I could take Nermal for a while. I thought maybe a friend would cheer you up.” Garfield yowled down at Jon, how dare he call his mom “grandma” like Garfield was his son. Jon looked surprised. “C’mon you know you love him.” Garfield rolled his eyes, he knew that Jon was lying through his stupid round teeth. Another thing people knew about Garfield is that he and Nermal were sworn enemies. Garfield squeezed his eyes closed and put his paws over his ears.  
“Can this guy ruin my life any more than he already has?” Garfield let Jon ramble on as he daydreamed about lunch. Garfield's thoughts of pizza and turkey sandwiches were interrupted by the sound of an old truck groaning its way up the driveway. “No no no he can’t already be here.” Jon stopped in the middle of whatever sentence he was in the middle of and speed walked into the house to open the door. Garfield watched it all happen in slow motion. Jon opened up the car door for his mother and the tiny grey cat jumped out and stretched. He batted his eyelashes at the sun and smiled up at Jon. Kissass. Jon offered out a hand to help his mother out of the car but she shook her head and placed her palm on his cheek. He kissed his mom’s cheek and closed her door. Nermal whipped his head around scanning the street like he was looking for something, someone. Garfield saw her before Nermal did. A pink cat strolled by, her lips were cherry red and she walked with a certain swagger. She was holding something, a small box that Garfield couldn’t see well from this distance. She stashed it away in their front shrubs before getting down on all fours and approaching Jon and Nermal. Nermal visibly brightened at the pink cat’s presence. She put her head forward and rubbed against Jon’s leg, smiling up at him. Jon cooed at the cat and picked her up. He brought both her and Nermal inside.


	2. Maybe There's More to This

Garfield let the light of the TV wash over him. Indulging in the silence in an otherwise loud house. There’s too many cats here, he wished he was the only one. He really didn’t like other cats, he only liked Harry. God, Garfield missed him. He felt his eyes burn and his vision grew blurry. No. He was not going to cry. Not now, not in a house full of strangers. Strangers and Odie. Suddenly Garfield felt very alone. All he wanted was to have Odie squishing into the chair with him with his god awful dog breath and his big wet tongue drooling on Garfield's perfectly groomed fur. He would give anything to hear the sneaking paws of Harry opening the living room window and sliding in, a bird between his teeth and the stench of the streets coming in with him. Garfield couldn’t stop himself now, he was crying. He hadn’t cried since Jon grabbed Harry by the neck and threw him out the front door. Garfield followed him through the house, pleading and teary eyed as Jon grumbled about dirty street cats. Garfield cursed himself for falling asleep, Harry asked him to keep watch but Garfield fell asleep. They were curled up together on Jon’s blanket with the TV volume low. Garfield could only blame himself. He could only blame himself for the hurt on Harry’s face when he watched the front door slam in front of him. Garfield fucked up. 

Nermal and the pink cat giggled as they entered the living room. The pink cat looked shocked to see Garfield crying silently in the recliner. “Oh I’m sorry Jon said you were probably outside.” The pink one said with her puffy red lips pursed into a worried “O.” Nermal looked worried too and Garfield was almost angry enough to spit at the cat. Nermal stepped forward towards the recliner and held his hand up towards the orange cat, an empathetic look on his face. Garfield almost felt something soft about the grey bastard on the floor. He moved his paws away from Nermal to make a point and Nermal looked hurt. Garfield almost felt bad but then he remembered who he was looking at. He slid off the recliner and walked towards the back door.  
“I’m Arlene by the way. I don’t think we’ve met.” The pink cat was shaken from her silence and Garfield turned back to glare at her. Arlene wrung her hands together and smiled nervously. There was a gap between her two front teeth, a noticeable one. There was dirt on her paws and her red lips were drawn on, slightly smudged. Her fur stuck up in strange places where her tongue couldn’t quite reach to groom herself. She was a dirty street cat. 

Nermal had been living in Garfield’s house for almost a month now. Arlene stayed around on and off but avoided looking at Garfield and being in the same room as him. Garfield spent most of his time up in the tree deep in thought or alone in the living room. He was starting to forgive Jon, just enough to get his lasagna again and the occasional pat. He was mostly mad at himself, he let this happen.  
“Hey Garfield, why don’t you show Nermal where you keep those toys you never play with?” Jon bent down to put Nermal on the recliner next to Garfield. Garfield rolled his eyes as Jon walked away.  
“Where’s your little girlfriend?” Garfield spat. Nermal laughed and leaned up against him. Garfield pushed him away. “Why are you laughing?” Garfield was embarrassed that he was obviously not understanding some hidden joke here.  
“Oh. You’re serious?” Nermal stifled another fit of laughter. Garfield wondered how hard he would have to kick to have Nermal hit the floor. Oh how satisfying that sound would be. Nermal batted his long eyelashes up at Garfield. “You think someone as cute as me could have a girlfriend? I need to be the cutest one.” Garfield still looked confused. Nermal was very amused by this. “I’m more into tomcats, dear Garfield.” Garfield scooted away from Nermal. Nermal’s amused smile dropped and his eyebrows drooped making his whole face turn downwards. His eyes were big and shiny and Garfield suddenly felt uncomfortable. “I’m sorry I assumed you knew… I thought it was pretty obvious.”  
“Why are you being nice to me lately shouldn’t you be annoying me? I don’t like this version of you… leaving me alone.” Garfield crossed his arms and squished himself against the back corner of the recliner, baring his teeth as he spoke.  
“Arlene, she heard something about you.” Nermal said matter of fact, avoiding eye contact. Garfield sat up straight, his ears perked up and his eyebrows raised.  
“What did she hear? What did she tell you?” Garfield was practically growling.  
“It’s not like it’s something to be ashamed of Garfield. It wasn’t fair what Jon did.” Nermal rubbed Garfield’s shoulder with his paw, a small comforting smile on his face.  
“What do you know about what’s fair? And it wasn’t like that. We were not like that.” Garfield hissed out. Garfield grabbed Nermals arm in his paw, his claws came out and pierced the skin on his arm.  
“Stop that I’m delicate!” Nermal fought against Garfield’s grip. “You’re hurting me please stop.” Garfield held on tight and Nermal squirmed then let out a piercing squeal that shook the recliner and the floor it was on. Odie and Jon rushed in to see Garfield holding Nermal’s arm above his head, claws puncturing skin. Jon was yelling, Odie was howling but Garfield stayed silent. He let go of the skinny grey arm and leaped off the chair onto his four feet. He slunk off to go hide under Jon’s bed. He curled up on the carpet with his paws over his ears and his tail curled under his body. He could still hear Nermal crying. 

Garfield came out from under Jon’s bed at around midnight. It was pitch black and he could only hear the rise and fall of Jon’s unconscious breathing. He snuck out to the kitchen and opened the front window. The smell of smoke hit him like a wall. He looked down and saw Arlene perched on his front step a glow coming from her hand. She held the glow up to her mouth and blew out smoke. She was smoking. She was smoking a cigarette.  
“Hey gap teeth, what are you doing?” Garfield called out. Arlene snapped her head up. She looked shocked then her face fell when she saw that it was Garfield.  
“You can’t really expect me to act friendly with you.” Arlene crossed her arms and tapped her paw against the pavement. “Not after what you did.” Arlene was terrible at lying, she was also terrible at pretending she didn’t feel the least bit sorry for the fat orange cat looking down at her from the windowsill.  
“I’d almost prefer if you hated me. I absolutely despise pity. I don’t need it.” Garfield checked his nails trying to look nonchalant.  
“Come down here and talk to me like a man, Garfield.” Arlene furrowed her brow to try and look threatening? Menacing? Powerful? It didn’t work, she instead just looked bothered. Garfield jumped down from the window to sit next to Arlene on the doorstep. “Henry is a good guy. We help each other out there.. In the alley.” Arlene paused and took a drag from her cigarette. She offered it to Garfield. He shook his head and focused on something on the ground. “He talked about you. A lot.” Garfield tensed up, his hackles raising. He squeezed his paws around his knees. Arlene sat in silence for a while until her cigarette was gone and she crushed it under her foot. “He’s okay you know? He moved on to the next city.” Was that supposed to make Garfield feel better? Maybe it did a little bit. He could imagine Harry finding a new restaurant dumpster to scavenge through, a new prissy housecat to tease. He felt something. “He never liked to stay in one place for very long. He stayed for you but he’ll be okay without-”  
“Shut up.” Garfield stood up to go inside. Arlene grabbed his arm.  
“I’m sorry,” Garfield ignored eye contact as much as she tried to make it. “But your pain doesn’t excuse your behavior. You should find Nermal, tell him you’re sorry.” Garfield rolled his eyes, he’s been doing that a lot lately. “I know you hate him but he doesn’t hate you. Do this for him okay?” Garfield frowned down at Arlene.  
“I don’t know why Jon let’s you stay, you're a street cat just like him.” Garfield showed a rare vulnerability as he made eye contact with Arlene.  
“You know why Garfield. You loved him.”  
“Not like that.” He crossed his arms across his chest, holding himself.  
“You don’t need to lie to me. To anyone.” She stood up and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close into a hug. She smelled like he did, which wasn’t entirely pleasant but it was like home.

Garfield found Nermal in the morning. He was watching a bird from the back porch. “You aren’t going to catch it?” Garfield asked, startling Nermal. Nermal’s arm had a duck bandage on it where Garfield had hurt him. He felt guilt tear at his stomach. Nermal caught him looking at the bandage and giggled uncomfortably.  
“It doesn’t hurt,” Nermal assured him. “I’ll be really mad if it leaves a scar and my beautiful fur doesnt grow back.” Nermal tried to laugh it off but it came out forced and scared.  
“I didn’t mean to do that. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Garfield stayed very still as he forced the words out. They stood there for a minute in awkward silence as they both watched the bluebird hop around the backyard. “If you won’t catch it I will.” Nermal looked back at Garfield, he looked confused.  
“Catch it?” He asked quietly. “I’m just watching it. Why would I want to kill it?”  
“We’re cats. Isn’t that what we do?” Garfield sat down next to Nermal, closer than he meant to. Nermal was radiating heat which felt nice in the cold morning air.  
“It doesn’t have to be.” Nermal looked up at Garfield with an indistinguishable look in his eyes. “I’m sorry for pushing you last night. I should’ve stopped when I knew it was a sore spot.”  
Garfield didn’t know what to say. He looked down at the smaller cat and saw someone who was truly sorry. He suddenly felt guilty, not just about hurting him but about every mean thing he’s said and done to the cat since they met years ago. He stared down into Nermal and he no longer felt angry about Nermal’s inflated ego, about how touchy he was and how tiny and stupid he was. He instead felt guilt. Guilt and regret. He regretted never giving Nermal the time to show this soft side of him. Nermal nodded like he heard Garfield’s whole internal dialogue like he saw all of his feelings sloshing around inside him. Nermal nodded like he understood. Garfield believed for a second that he truly did understand. There was more to Nermal than Garfield could have ever imagined. He never noticed how long his eyelashes were, and how nicely they framed his bright blue eyes. How soft his shiny silver fur was. Nermal nodded like he saw all of this happening in real time. Nermal wrapped his arms around Garfield’s waist and buried his face in his bright orange side. Garfield froze, he held his breath. Nermal rubbed his face into Garfield, Garfield relaxed and leaned his head on top of Nermals.  
“I really like you.” Nermal mumbled into Garfield’s side, barely audible.  
“Oh. I think I knew that.” Garfield answered clumsily, staring out at the bird who had now turned to stare back at him. He felt Nermal smile and he couldn’t help but smile a bit too.


	3. Friends with Street Cats

Nermal left a few days after the moment on the porch. Things returned to normal, Garfield snapped at Odie and Jon for being in his way. He started to eat his normal amount of lasagna, pizza and other human foods. Garfield was feeling better. He also had a new friend. Jon was far more friendly to Arlene than he ever was to Harry. Arlene slept in the chair next to Garfield, she spent days laying in the sun in their backyard. Every time Garfield watched her from the windowsill either chasing birds or taking a nap belly up his hatred towards Jon grew. It grew silently but greatly.   
“Hey Garfield are you hungry at all?” Garfield was snapped out of his thoughts by Arlene looking up to him from below the window.  
“Do you even need to ask?” He grinned and showed off his sharp teeth and she giggled in response.   
“I was thinking about going to the Chinese place on 5th. The owner’s kid really likes me and she always leaves out bowls of leftovers in the alley.” She was a good friend. No, a great friend. She motioned for him to follow her.   
“You want me to leave? With you?” He held his hands together in front of him and looked over his shoulder for Jon. Arlene nodded sarcastically, like it was the stupidest question he’d ever asked. Which certainly wasn’t true. “You know I can’t do that. Not anymore at least.”   
“What’s the worst he could do? Kick you out?” Garfield teetered on the edge of the windowsill as Arlene looked at him, eyebrow raised to challenge him. He jumped down and huffed.   
“Whatever if I get in trouble you owe me one.” Arlene punched his shoulder gently and laughed triumphantly. They snuck out the fence and ran off down the street both laughing with the wind in their fur.

**Author's Note:**

> More to come.


End file.
